


Nitori really can't catch a break

by Fletchinder



Category: Free!
Genre: Again, Everyone Is Gay, Everyone wants Nitori, M/M, Underage Drinking, a tiny bit of bad language
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-13
Updated: 2014-10-13
Packaged: 2018-02-21 00:57:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,206
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2449403
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fletchinder/pseuds/Fletchinder
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He was small and cute, along with being very friendly, which made him sowewhat popular with the girls. Even if he was seen more as friend or little brother material, than boyfriend material. Nitori would take what he could get. Which was still more than most guys in this school got, so the silver haired boy didn't complain.</p><p>There was just this one thing that bugged him a bit...</p><p>The fact that girls weren't the only ones, who thought that he was cute.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Nitori really can't catch a break

**Author's Note:**

> i'm so sorry. i have no excuse for this
> 
> also this is just for pure fun, please dont take anything serious
> 
> fun fact: i still cant remember how to spell Seijuurou's name without looking it up

It was like Nitori was cursed. 

Scratch that.

Nitori was cursed.

He knew that he wasn't the most attractive boy. Small, thin and a cute face would never be the definition of dashingly handsome. In fact most girls simply called him adorable, which was actually fine with him. Not that he really liked it a lot, but there were certainly worse things to be called. Getting called cute by pretty girls was still a mile better than getting slapped by them. Poor Momo still had a hand print on his cheek after two hours...

He also knew that he wasn't the smartest or funniest boy around. There were a lot boys that exceeded him in those categories, as well as the previous one. Nitori didn't mind that either. Being able to do his homework, keeping his grades up and crack a few jokes on occasion was enough for him to be satisfied. Just accepting that he wasn't and never would be the most perfect man on earth really was easy. Seemed like having low expectations and being realistic were working in his favor!

Now that all being said, there were certainly guys that were a lot worse than him out there. Swim training gave him a lithe, but somewhat muscular body and he never had to misfortune to deal with acne or anything of that sort, like most people had to in their teen years. Plus he had a reasonable amount of friends. All in all, being average was very okay with him.

The fact that he was small and nonthreatening, along with being very friendly made him somewhat popular with the girls too. Even if he was seen more as friend or little brother material, than boyfriend material. Nitori would take what he could get. Which was still more than most guys in this school got, so the silver haired boy didn't complain and considered himself lucky.

There was just this one thing that bugged him a bit.

The fact that girls weren't the only ones, who thought that he was cute.

–

At first he was, honest to god, scared of his roommate. Could you blame the small boy, though? The redhead looked either angry or aloof all the time, so sharing a room with him sounded like a nightmare. Nitori lived in fear for a couple of days, until he noticed that Rin actually wasn't a bad guy. Just pretty emotional. And stubborn.

Soon enough the two boys formed something similar to a friendship and Nitori was glad to be roommates with Rin. He was tidy, always cleaning up Nitori's messes, although not without a lot of complaining first, and even helped him with his studies. The smaller boy had no idea why Rin would help him out so much, but just accepted it, guessing that the redhead was a very nice person on the inside. 

They got along with each other just fine for a long time and he even got to see how Rin reconciled with his old childhood friends...

So when it happened, it was needless to say that he was more than surprised.

It stared when the whole dorm was invited to this huge party in the woods next to the school that happened every year after the midterms. Rin was going and Nitori decided to tag along, after he was asked to. Parties weren’t his thing, especially since he was pretty bad with holding his alcohol.

When the both arrived, there was already a big bonfire, music was blasting and beer was handed out from every corner. Rin went into the crowd and came back with a few bottles, giving one to Nitori. The smaller boy wanted to protest, but a quick glare from Rin shut him up.

“Just drink it, alright?”

Nitori bit his lip and opened his beer, taking a sip. He could already feel this evening taking the wrong turn.

The boys sat down under a tree, watching other people dance and sing along to the songs that were coming out of a boombox and Nitori found himself actually enjoying the party, but when he turned his head to Rin to start up a conversation, he saw his friend frowning.

Huh? Rin wasn't enjoying himself? He was the one that convinced Nitori to come along in the first place!

But the smaller one didn't want to make the him angry, so he kept his mouth shut and took another sip. Uncomfortable silence was something that he was used to, just not really around Rin.

His drink was soon empty and after half an hour a few more as well... Nitori didn't know what else to do!

“I-I'm gonna get us something to drink!” He jumped up, swaying slightly on his feet. It took a moment to regain his balance and Nitori was already searching for some more beer. When he found someone who still handed bottles out, he made his way over. 

Before he could make it all the way, someone slammed him with his back into a tree. The silver haired boy needed a second to make sure that he wouldn't puke from the sudden motion, before looking up at angry red eyes.

“E-Eh!?” 

Rin had drunken a bit less than Nitori, which didn't say too much, as he had emptied five or six bottles. The possibility that the redhead was just as shit faced as him was there.

His theory was confirmed when Rin leaned in, putting his lips over Nitori's, his hands grabbing his hips.

What was going on?

As soon as his somewhat sluggish mind caught up with what was happening right now, he pushed the taller teen away, his legs almost tangling as he ran away. What the hell had that been? Had Rin just...?

“Ai! Wait up!”

He heard the yell behind him. Not good... Looking around, he tried to find a perfect hiding spot. Ah, there!

After that, his mind had went blank and the next thing he remembered was waking up, a sensation of falling and sudden pain in his left arm.

Okay, Nitori would admit that hiding from Rin in a tree hadn't been one of the best idea he had, while being drunk.

–

The broken arm was healed within seven weeks and the kiss was not even mentioned once. Rin had probably forgotten about it and Nitori wasn't one to bring such things up again, so the topic was never approached and left to gather dust.

Two months had passed since the incident and the first year was finally allowed back on the swim team after the doctor gave his okay. This was pretty relieving, since Nitori didn't want to fall behind too far. He already wasn't on the top of the club, so he worked on a schedule to make up for the lost time.

The captain greeted him with a very happy expression. “Nitori, great to have you back!” Seijuurou delivered a slap to his back, which almost made Nitori stumble, the smaller boy barely catching himself. “Now go and make yourself useful in the water!”

No argument there. He jumped into the pool, starting his workout.

After practice Nitori showered, relaxing under the hot stream of water. It was nice to finally be able to move his arm again and he instantly used that to his advantage, washing his hair for the first time in two months without having major problems during it.

Sighing softly, he smiled until he felt a presence behind him. The teen turned around to see Seijuurou standing there, who was rubbing the back of his head.

“Oh, hello, captain!” He really admired the older swimmer and was always happy to get a chance to talk to him, although it kinda looked like the taller swimmer was embarrassed by something. 

Nitori hadn't even known that Seijuurou had the ability to get embarrassed.

The captain took a step closer and the smaller swimmer couldn't think of a time he was happier that both of them still wore their swim wear. “C-captain?”

Seijuurou stared at him until he took a breath, apparently trying to calm himself. “So, I was wondering, and I know that this is kinda sudden... would you like to go out with me?”

Nitori felt like he had war flashbacks, when in reality, he was just thinking about what happened the night before he fell out of that tree.

“I-I-I'm really honored, captain! But-but I-” He was as pale as a sheet of paper and his fight or flight instincts kicked in. Nitori found himself running from a possibly awkward situation once more. That was not something he could really control. Just as he wanted to make his way to the lockers, when he heard that the captain raised his voice.

“Nitori, wait! Don't run on the wet-!”

–

And that was pretty much the last thing he remembered, before waking up in an infirmary bed, with a disapproving and all too familiar face of his doctor looking at him. Oh no...

After a quick talk with him, Nitori found out that he had slipped, while running and gave himself a concussion. Great. Another two weeks of pool ban. At this rate he would never catch up... But at least he had a very good reason to avoid the captain now.

Nitori wouldn't say to he was happy that Seijuurou left the team at the end of the year, as all third years did, but he was certainly relieved not having to talk about this matter anymore and that he could look forward to his second year without any problems.

So he had thought at least. Of course things never worked out the way he wanted them to...

He got a new roommate and so did Rin. If Nitori though that Rin was had been scary at first, he couldn't describe Sousuke with anything less than terrifying. Others didn't seem to see his cold glares, especially directed at Haruka, but the small swimmer definitely noticed that there was something... off about this guy.

He didn't dwell on it, since Rin liked him, so the tall guy couldn't be too bad.

As time passed by, Nitori got used to him, but he knew that he still had to make up the time he lost last year, even though he had really trained a lot in the summer, so it happened that he often stayed in the pool after training. It wasn't easy to balance it with homework and studying, however Nitori managed it.

On one particular day though, he saw that Sousuke was staying behind as well. The silver haired didn't mind this too much and just continued his training. He was curious why the older boy was here, but was way to terrified to ask. Well, it wasn't really his business anyway.

When Nitori got out of the water and grabbed his towel, he saw that Sousuke was walking over to him. Huh? Maybe he just wanted to chat a bit...

“Yamazaki-senpai! Can I help you somehow?”

The older boy stared down at him for a while and Nitori could feel himself shrinking. “Yamazaki-senpai...?”

He was just about to take a step back, when Sousuke abruptly pulled out a heart shaped box from behind him. “Nitori, I wanted to-”

“Aaahhh!” Again!? Why was this happening to him!?

Nitori already knew what would happen next. He'd run, hurt him and be banned from the pool during his recovery.

Did that knowledge do anything to stop him? 

…

No.

Sousuke was between him and the door, so the only other option was the window. This was a very bad idea, but since fight wasn't an option, his brain resorted to flight and he sprinted to the window. He tore it open and jumped out, feeling a certain sense of deja-vu.

–

The doctor said that he should consider himself lucky. A sprained ankle wasn't as bad as his previous injuries. Three weeks no training.

Nitori felt like crying.

The pattern was very clear now and all he could do is hope that no one would confess to him anymore...

–

He admitted to having a few tears in his eyes when Rin told him that he'd be the new captain. All his work had really paid off!

After some intensive group hugs and goodbyes, the new swim team captain sat down next to a bench with Momotarou next to him. The two of them had become rather good friends over the time, especially since they also shared a room.

“Nitori?”

“Yes, Momo-kun?”

“You're... pretty cute. Do you wanna go watch a movie with me sometime? Ya know, as a date?”

No. He couldn't hurt himself over something ridiculous like this again. He was a captain now!

Taking all of his courage, which wasn't a lot, but still, Nitori took a deep breath, only shaking a little bit when he replied. “A-ah, sorry! But... I'm not gay.” Why kept everyone thinking that he was, anyway?

“Oh. As friend then?”

Nitori blinked a few times. It was that easy? Momo wasn't embarrassed and wanted to avoid him? He felt a big weight dropping from his shoulders.

“Also, do you think I have any chance with Gou-chan?”

Oh, right. This was Momo he was talking to...

“ _Momotarou..._ ”

**Author's Note:**

> Hi there! Thanks so much for sticking around til the end! This should have been originally based on the song 'Take A Hint' but it kinda derailed into its own thing, haha ^-^;;;;;;
> 
> Please feel free to leave a kudo or comment, if you find any mistakes or have something to criticize or just want to leave a nice comment, I always strife to improve and appreciate everything!
> 
> I also have a tumblr, so if you want to drop by and say hi it's http://night-of-the-owls.tumblr.com/ I love talking to people so don't be shy!


End file.
